Disk cultivator



' May 26, @31. F. H.s1'oNER 1,807,182

u DISK CULTIVATOR Filed Sept. 18, 1950 l Patented May 26, 1931 PATENT FRANK H. STONER, OF MOINE-0E, MICHIGAN DISK- CULTIVATOR Application filed September 18, 1930. Serial No. 482,799.

My invention has for its object to provide a lawn or green cultivator which is so'constructed that in its operation on the lawn, the

grass and its roots will not be injured but portions of the Ysod will be lifted to enable loosening-of the soil and aeration of the roots. The invention particularly provides ar'means for puncturino' the sod and, as the cultivator moves over the green, it operates to loosen the dirt by the swinging movement of spikelike projections or teeth that extend to points beneath the surface of the sod and beneath the rolling surfaces on which the cultivator is supported.

The invention .provides other features and advantages which will appear from the followingdescription and upon examination of the drawings. Structures containing the invention may be varied in their details and still embody the invention. ToA illustrate a practical application of the invention, I have selected a cultivator that embodies the invention as an example of various structures and details thereof that contain the invention, and shall. describe the selected structure hereinafter7 it being understoodthat variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. T he particular structure selected is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cultivator. 2 is a side view of the cultivator; Fig. 3 illustrates a' view of a section of one of the shafts that supports a plurality ofthe pointed disks of the cultivator. Fig. 4 is a view of a section of an adjustable washer for limiting the play of the disks on each shaft of the cultivator.

In the particular cultivator shown in the drawings, a pair of shafts 1 and 2 are secured to a pair of plates 3 and 4 that are tiltable relative to each other to provide for the depressions and elevations in the surface of the ground or sod over which the cultivator is moved. A weight is supported on the plates 3 and 4 to produce the. desired pressure on the shafts 1 and 2 for forcing` the teeth of the cultivator into the ground the desired depth. Any suitable material, having the desired weight, may be supported in a suitable pan 5 that is connected to the plates by means of the bars 6, located at one end of the pan, and

the l5-bar 7 located at the other end of the pan. apin 8 connected to the plate 3 ends. rl `he pan 5 is thus oint su inort and conse uentl relative to the plate 4, or

riChe lil-bar 7 is connected by means of to a bracket 9 while the bars 6 are at points near its provided with vva 3- is movable permits movements of the plate 4, relative to the pan 5 and the plate 3, to enable movement of the plates 'relative to each other' and, consequently, movenient of the ends of the shafts 1 tive to each other, as the over the elevated and the green.

and 2, relacultivator is moved depressed portions of A handle member 10, having a handle 11, is

pivotally connected to the plates isl connected by the pin which is secured to the pl 3 and 4. 1t 8 to the bracket 9 ate 4 and to the pin 12 :which is located in the bracket 13 that is connected to the plate 3.

rlhe member 10 is formed of strap iron. lt is sufficiently flexible. to allow tilting movements of the plates 3 and 4 relative to each other. rlhe handle member is provided with a pair of hooks 15 having curved edge portions 16 for engaging the ends of the shafts 2, a portion 17 for forcing the ly when the the handle member 10, weight of the hooks` 15 nd an inclined edge hooks 15 rearwardi handle is sufficiently lowered. The points of connection of the hooks 15, with are such that the will automatically cause the hooks 15 toswing into engaging position relative to the shaf t 2 when the handle member is lowered sufficiently. v

The ends ofv each of the plates 3 and Y4 are provided with a pair of brackets 20. The

ends of the brackets 20 are provided with pins 21 on which are located the rollers 22.

The pins 21 are located ahead of the shafts 1 and 2 which positions the rollers 22 so that when the hooks engage and raised sufficiently,

over the sidewalks,

the handle 11 is the cultivator may be supported on the rollers 22 to thus freely move 0 lawn or sod without causing contact of the teeth of the cultivator.

ity of disks 25 that may be rotated relative to each other on the shafts l and 2, although thedisks are so secured to the shaft that such rotation is yieldingly resisted by the friction between the parts that secure the disks in their relative positions. The rotation of the disks, relative to each other, enables turning the cultivator without dragging` the disks over the'sod. The disks are spaced apart by means of the spools 26 and the disks on the shaft l are so'locate'd as to be staggered with reference to the disks on tact with the which may be exceedingly eflicient in the shaft 2, that is, the plane of the disks on the shaft l extend midway between adjoining disks of the shaft 2. The disks are provided with relatively long spikes or teeth 27 that penetrate well below the surface of the sod and pierce the sod at separated points to a point well below the surface and to near the lower ends of the roots of the grass. Owing to the fact that the disks roll on the surface of the sod, and the points of the spikes or teeth are located well below the sod, the spikes or teeth operate to lift and loosen the dirt as the spikes leave the sod. The disks of the rear shaft 2 not only provide for horizontally supporting the body of the cultivator, and enable its free movement by pushing or pulling the cultivator, but also operate to further loosen the soil about the roots of the grass subsequent to the operation of the disks on the shaft l on the soil, that is, the spikes or teeth on the disks, supported on the shaft 2, further loosen the dirt and afford aeration of the roots as the cultivator moves over the sod. Y Y

The disks are maintained in frictional conends of the spools 26 to enable movement of the disks relative to each other by means of a washer 30 which is located on the end of each of the shafts l and 2. The bushing 3l is located in the bearing 82 that may be formed at the ends `of the plates 3 and e for rotatably supporting the shafts l and 2. The vbushing 31 has a length somewhat greater tha-n the length of the bearing part 32. The washer l30 is located on the end of each shaft and a cot-ter pin 33 is inserted through the end of the shaft to press the washer 30 against the bushing 3l, the bushing 3l operating to press the spools 26 endwise and against the disks, to thus frictionally and yet yieldingly resist rotation of the disks relative to each other, or relative to the shaft on which they are located. Preferably, the washer 30 is formed relatively thick and is castellated to form notches 84 of different depths for the receiptof the cotter pin 38. This provides for adjustment of the pla-y as between the ends of the spools and the surfaces of the disks, and to adjust the fric-tional contact between these surfaces.

I have thus provided an exceedingly efficient lawn cultivator that may be made at a very low cost of production and yet one the -culnecting the frame tivation of lawns and the preservation of their beauty.

I claim:

l. In a disk cultivator, a pair of shafts, a pair of end members connected to the ends of the shafts, the end members movable relative to each other, a plurality of disks rotatably supported by the shafts and lia-ving teeth projecting from the peripheries of the disks, a part for operating the cultivator connected to the end members.

2. In a disk cultivator, a pair of pair of end members connected to of the shafts, the 4end members movable relative to each other, a plurality of disks rotatably4 supported by the shafts and having teeth projecting from the peripheries of the disks, a handle part for operatingthe cultivator and pivotally connected to the end members, the end members having brackets and rollers located on the brackets, the handle part having hooks for lifting the shafts and the end members for moving the eultivator on the rollers. Y

3. In a disk cultivato'r, a pair of shafts, a pair of end members connected to the ends of the shafts, the end members movable relative to each other, a plurality of disks located on the shafts and having teeth projecting from the peripheries of the disks, a plurality of spacing hubs located on the shafts and be.- tween the disks and means for adjustably clamping the spacing hubs and the disks to yieldingly frictionally resist rotation of the disks relative to each other.

t. In a disk cultivator, a pair of shafts, a pair of'end members connected to the ends of the shafts, the end members movable Yrelative to each other, a plurality of disks secured tothe shafts and having teeth projecting from the peripheries of the disks, a handle part for-operating the cultivator and pivotally connected to the end members, and a weight supporting frame, a means for conat a single point to one ofv the end members, and a means for connecting the'o-therend .of the frame at two points to the other end member for supporting the frame.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

FRANK H. STONER.

shafts, a the ends 

